Conveying-chute.



3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

Patented July 11, 1911.

G. D. CURTIS.

CONVEYING GHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 1909 Attest:

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G. D. CURTIS.

CONVEYING GHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED Jpn 28, 1909.

Patented July 11, 1911.

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In van to)? COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPM 50-, WASHINGTON, D. c.

G. D. CURTIS.

CONVEYING GHUTE.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 1909.

997,276, Patented July 11, 1911.

v 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GROVE D. CURTIS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CONVEYING-CHUTE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GROVE D. Gimme, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and

5 State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Conveying- Chutes, of which the following is a speci fication.

The improvements relate to gravity conveyers or conveyer chutes, intended to receive coal, grain or other substances from a car, wagon or other medium of transportation and to convey the same by gravity without causing dust or breakage to suitable bins or other receptacles on a lower level.

Their objects are, among others, to provide a chute or gravity conveyer of this character, of simple construction and operation, which will receive substances of differsame continuously and Without jarring to a point a considerable distance below the point of discharge from the cart or caras for instance from a coal wagon to a subcellarand which may be regulated in various ways to meet the requirements of different substances and the exigencies of use.

To these ends the improvements consist of the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the said drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sectional conveying chute embodying the improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical medial section taken lengthwise of one of the chute sections and a portion of another section above it. Fig. 3 is a plan of one of the sections. Fig. 4c is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2 with a modified form of regulating brake. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross'section on the line 55 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction indicated by the arrow. Fig. 6 is a plan of the section shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a detail of a construction in which the regulating brake shown in Fig. 1 is applied to an ordinary chute. Fig. 8 is a vertical cross section of the same on the line 88 of Fig. 7 looking in the direction indicated by the arrow.

A suitable frame or casing 1 is provided for the conveyer, and where it is placed in I a building this frame may be part of the building. On the top of this frame or casing is a suitable roof or cover 2 a suflicient distance above the floor 3 to permit cars,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 28, 1909.

ent size and weight and will convey the 1 these posts vmounted. Each of these sections consists of a chute or slide 11 pivotally secured between the outer pair of posts or uprights 1O Patented July Serial No. 504,884.

wagons or other means of transportation to pass thereunder. From this roof are hung pulleys 4; and through the pulleys run ropes, chains or the like attached to theends of the conveyer sections and to the regulating brakes for the purpose of enabling these parts to be adjusted and operated from the upper floor or platform. The ropes or lines by which the regulating brakes are operated are secured to a switch lever 5 and the ropes or lines for adjusting the conveyer sections are secured to a Windlass 6 on the upper platform, and by means of these devices they may be conveniently operated. Tracks 7 are laid on the upper platform in order that cars may be run in when desired, and these tracks extend over the hopper 8 which is provided with an inclined sliding gate 9.

Running from top to bottom of the conveyer are pairs of posts 10, and between the conveyer sections are near its upper end. This is accomplished by passing a rod or bolt 12 through the pair of uprights and eyes on the chute- The lower end of the chute 11 is adjustably se cured at 13 by means of pins passing through one of a series of holes in the upright and entering a hole in the chute sec tion or passing beneath it. (See Fig. 2.) By providing a series of holes the lower end of the chute may be raised or lowered within certain limits and secured in the desired position so as to give the chute the proper pitch for the materials in connection with which it is being used. This may also be accomplished, however, by means of the windlass 6 and the lines connecting the Windlass wit-h the lower end of the chute, and in this instance the arrangement shown at 13 may be dispensed with if desired; but if used it will give the chutes stability and prevent them from accidently moving from the desired position.

At the ends of'the chute 11 rollers 1 1 are mounted, and over these rollers passes an endless belt or apron 15 provided with transverse cleats 16. The apron passes over the upper surface of the chute and under the chute so that the cleats 16 pass down with the coal or other substance being conveyed through the chute and return tothe top underneath it. The action of the apron is automatic and will tend to retard to a certain extent the coal or other material and prevent it from tumbling. It also has a number of other advantages which will appear to those skilled in the art. By providing a series of independent aprons to receive and carry the material as it passes down through the conveyer the said ma terial is controlled in its descent in a very effective manner and delivered to the bin or other receptacle at the lower end of the conveyer without unnecessary jarring or agitation and at a reduced rate of speed.

At the upper part of each conveyer section 11 a plate 20 is hinged. The connection is made through the bar 21 extending across the trough of the chute and rotatably secured at its ends to the two upper side edges thereof, the upper edge 22 of the plate 20 being turned around the bar 21 so as to clasp the said bar. The plate 20 is preferably made of metal and covers t-he'lower portion of the conveyer section. Its lower end 23 extends beyond and is turned around the lower end of the chute and the apron and roller, so as to leave a space between it and these parts through which the materials may pass. The object of this lip or inturned end is to catch the materials as they pass from the lower end of the chute section and conduct them to the upper end of the section below without permitting them to fall. It also acts as a brake in connection with the upper part of the plate. Near the lower end of the plate 20 at its upper surface a rod Qat is mounted and to this rod the rope 25 is secured. It will be seen that by means of the rope the speed regulating brake 20 may be raised or permitted to fall by gravity and that in this manner more or less friction between the materials passing down the conveyor section will be created, with the result that the flow of said materials may be accelerated or retarded as desired and as the nature and consistency of the said materials may require.

The conveyer section 11 is provided with a bar or rod 17 secured to its under side near the lower end and projecting there from at either side, and to the end of this bar the rope 18 for raising and lowering the lower end of the conveyer section is attached.

In the modified forms shown in Figs. 4 to 7 the regulating brake consists of a plate 80 hingedly connected to the upper part of the chute section by means of the arm 31, and the cord or line 26 attached to the end of the arm which extends beyond the pivot acts to press the plate 30 against the material passing through the chute. It will be understood that the two forms of brake may be used in connection with one and the same conveyer if desired, and that one or both may be used for the purpose of regulating the flow of materials. The plate 30 does not extend to the upper end of the section for the reason that if it did thus extend it would interfere with the fall of material passing from the section above. The narrow handle 31, however, does not interfere to any appreciable extent.

In operation the coal or other substance is dumped from the car 40 into the hopper 8, and when the gate 9 is open, slides down over the apron of the first section and under the regulating brake to the upper end of the next section, and so on to the bottom of the conveyer, its momentum being controlled by the person or persons operating the conveyor by means of the ropes or lines operating the regulating brakes and chute sections as hereinbefore described.

The lower regulating brake need not be provided with the lip or turned portion 28, as the coal or other substance will be deposited upon the top of the material. already in the bin or other receptacle, and it will be understood that the lower end of the lower section may be gradually raised as the level of the materials in the bin rises so that the said lower end will always be in close proximity thereto.

hat I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described the combination of a plurality of obliquely mounted sect-ions forming a continuous gravity conveyer or chute, a hopper near the upper end of the uppermost section, endless belts or aprons passing over the upper side and under the under side of each section and mounted to rotate thereon and adapted to be rotated by the gravity of material thereon, means for raising and lowering the lower end of a section and for securing it at diiierent heights comprising a rope or line secured near the lower end of a section and passing up to the top of the chute, an upright member'adjacent to the chute, a plurality of openings therein, a socket or opening in the chute section and a pin adapted to be passed through one of the openings in the upright member and into the opening in the chute section, plates hingedly mounted at one end on said sections and at a point above the aprons and extending over the same, downwardly turned port-ions on the opposite ends of said plates and a rope or line connected with the plate below the hinged connections and extending to the top of the conveyer, whereby the said plates may be raised or lowered to approach or recede from the apron.

2. In a device of the character described the combination of a plurality of obliquely mounted sections forming a continuous gravity conveyer or chute, endless belts or aprons passing over the upper side and under the under side of each section and mounted to rotate thereon and adapted to be rotated by the gravity of material thereon, -means for raising and lowering the lower end of a section, plates for retarding the passage of material along the sections hingedly mounted at one end on said sections and at a point above the aprons and extending over the same, the free ends of the plates being downwardly curved and spaced from the contiguous ends of the aprons, and means whereby the said plates may be raised or lowered to approach or recede from the apron.

3. In a device of the character described the combination of a plurality of obliquely mounted sections forming a continuous gravity conveyer or chute, endless belts or aprons passing over the upper side of each section and mounted to rotate thereon and adapted to be rotated by the gravity of material thereon, transverse cleats on said aprons, means for raising and lowering the lower 7 end of a section, plates for retarding the passage of material along the sections hingedly mounted at one end on said sections and at'apoint above the aprons and extending over the same, the free ends of the plates being downwardly curved and spaced from the contiguous ends of the aprons, and means whereby the said plates may be raised or lowered to approach or recede from the apron.

4. In a device of the character described the combination of a plurality of obliquely mounted sections forming a continuous gravity conveyer or chute, endless belts or aprons passing over the upper side of each section and mounted to rotate thereon and adapted to be rotated by the gravity of material thereon, means for raising and lowering the lower end of a section comprising a rope or 'line secured near the lower end of a section and passing to the top of the chute, an upright member adjacent to the chute, a plurality of openings therein, a socket or opening in the chute section and a pin adapted to be passed through one of the openings in mounted sections forming a continuous gravity conveyer or chute, endless belts or aprons passing over the upper side of each section and mounted to rotate thereon and adapted to be rotated by the gravity of material thereon, means for raising and lowering the lower end of a section and for securing it at different heights, plates for retarding the passage of material along the sections hingedly mounted at one end on said sections and at a point above the aprons and extending over the same, the free ends of the plates being downwardly curved and spaced from the contiguous ends of the aprons, and means whereby the said plates may be raised or lowered to approach or recede from the apron.

6. In a device of the character described the combination of a plurality of obliquely mounted sections forming acontinuous gravity conveyer or chute a hopper near the upper end of the uppermost section, endless belts or aprons passing over the upper side of each section and mounted to rotate thereon and adapted to be rotated by the gravity of the material thereon, means for raising and lowering the lower end of a section, plates for retarding the passage of material along the sections hingedly mounted at one end on said sections and at a point above the aprons and extending over the same, the free ends of the plates being downwardly curved and spaced from the contiguous ends of the aprons, and means whereby the said plates may be raised or lowered to approach or recede from the apron. I

7. In a device of the character described the combination of a plurality of obliquely mounted sections forming a continuous gravity conveyer or chute, endless belts or aprons passing over the upper side of each section and mounted to rotate thereon and adapted to be rotated by the gravity of material thereon, means for raising and lowering the lower end of a section, plates hingedly mounted at one end on said sections and at a point above the aprons and extending over the same, downwardly turned portions on the opposite ends of said plates and means whereby the said plates may be raised or lowered to approach or recede from the apron.

8. In a device of the character described the combination of a plurality of obliquely mounted sections forming a continuous gravity conveyer or chute, endless belts or aprons passing over the upper side of each section and mounted to rotate thereon and adapted to be rotated by the gravity of material thereon, means for raising and lowering the lower end of a section, plates for retarding the passage of material along the sections hingedly mounted at one end on said sec- 7 the plate below the hinged connections and extending to the top of the conveyer whereby the plates may be raised or lowered, to approach or recede from the apron.

9. In a device of the character described the combination of a plurality of obliquely mounted sections forming a continuous gravity conveyer or chute, means for raising and lowered to approach or recede from the said lowering the lower end of a section, plates sections. 10 hingedly mounted at one end on said sec- Vitness my hand this 18th day of-June tions at a point above and extending over 1909, at New York, N. Y.

the same the free ends of the plates being GROVE D. CURTIS. downwardly curved and spaced from the contiguous ends of the aprons, and means whereby the said plates may be raised or Vitnesses G. J. COX, ED. S. CHEER, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

